Buckle housing

ABSTRACT

A safety belt buckle is provided with a housing formed of a plurality of laminated plates. The top and bottom plates have an opening in the central portion thereof. Spaced apart parallel walls of the center plate form a guide means for guiding the tongue of a seat belt into the housing. The housing is small, light, strong, easy to fasten, comfortable to wear and inexpensive to produce.

United States Patent [191 Levasseur [45] Nov. 11, 1975 BUCKLE HOUSING[75] Inventor: Dornis Levasseur, Warren. Mich.

[731 Assignee: Allied Chemical Corporation, New

York. N.Y.

[22] Filed: Feb. 12, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 441,913

[52] US. Cl ZOO/61.58 B; 24/230 AL [51] int. Cl. A44b 11/26; HOlh 3/16[58] Field of Search 24/230 A. 230 AU. 230 AL. 24/230 AK. 230 AM. 230AN, 230 AP. 230

A1; ZOO/61.58 B

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 209.903 1 1/1878 Lane 24/230A 2.847.748 8/1958 Robinton 24/230 AT 3.473.201 10/1969 Hopkn 24/230 AK3.555.632 1/1971 Lindblad 24/230 AL 3.564.672 11/1968 McIntyre 24/230 AT3.704.633 12/1972 lverson 24/230 AL 3.763.523 10/1973 Lindblad 24/230 AL3.774.268 11/1973 24/230 A 3.790.994 2/1974 24/230 A 3.795.030 3/1974Yates 24/230 AL Primary Examiner-Bernard A; Gelak Attorney. Agent. orFirm-Ernest D. Buff; John P. Kirby. Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A safety belt buckle is provided with a housing formed ofa plurality of laminated plates. The top and bottom plates have anopening in the central portion thereof. Spaced apart parallel walls ofthe center plate form a guide means for guiding the tongue of a seatbelt into the housing. The housing is small. light. strong. easy tofasten. comfortable to wear and inexpensive to produce.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.S.Patent Nov.l1, 1975 Sheet10f2 3,919,508

BUCKLE nousmc BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to safety belt buckles for passengers in vehicles suchas automobiles, and more particularly to improved means for housing andfacilitating the operation of the components of the buckle.

2. Description of the Prior Art Safety belt buckles have been developedin order to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuriesresulting from motor vehicle accldents. Most of these buckles include.as major components. a unitary housing connected to a seat belt anchoredto the vehicle body and a latching mechanism adapted to coact with thetongue of another seat belt assembly similarly secured to the vehicle.One of the problems encountered with such buckles is the difficulty ofinserting the tongue into the housing. The rough entry caused by hardpoints" encountered in the housing during insertion of the tongue eitherdeters vehicle occupants from using safety belts or leads them tobelieve that their belt is fastened when, in fact, it is not. Anotherproblem encountered with such buckles is the relatively large size,weight and cost thereof. The present invention provides a means wherebythe aforesaid problems are overcome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention asafety belt buckle housing is provided that is compact, lightweight andstrong, and which virtually eliminates fastening problems such asrough-entry, false latch and the like. The housing has an openingtherein from which a cavity extends to a wall opposite the opening. Aninlet means of the housing communicates with the cavity for receivingthetongue of a seat belt. A connecting means is provided for connectingthe housing to the seat belt. The housing is formed of a plurality oflaminated plates. The top and bottom plates have an opening in thecentral portion thereof and the center plate has an opening extendingfrom an edge of the plate into the central portion thereof. Spaced apartparallel walls of the center plate form a guide means for guiding thetongue into the cavity of the housing.

The buckle housing of this invention has advantageous structuralfeatures. Each of the plates are easily fabricated and relativelystrong. Thus. the housing is quickly and easily assembled at minimalcost to form a remarkably sturdy unit. Hart points within the housingcavity are replaced by a smooth guiding surface provided by the guidemeans. In addition, means are pro vided for effecting and maintainingproper alignment between the latching means and tongue of the buckleassembly. As a result, safety belt buckles equipped with the housing ofthis invention are less expensive to produce, easier to fasten, morecomfortable to wear and afford greater protection to vehicle occupantsthan previous safety belt buckles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more fullyunderstood and further advantages will become apparent when referenceis'made to the following detailed description and the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the safety belt buckle, including the housingof this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a plurality of plates adapted for assembly toform the housing of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. l-3 of thedrawings, there is illustrated a safety belt buckle including thehousing of this Invention. The housing, shown generally at 10, has anopening 12 therein from which a cavity 14 extends to a wall 16 of thehousing opposite the opening 12. Housing 10 is provided with an inletmeans 18 which communicates with the cavity 14 for receiving the tongue20 of a seat belt (not shown). The housing 10 has connecting means 22for connecting the housing to the seat belt. Housing 10 is fonned of aplurality of laminated plates shown generally at 24. As shown in FIG. 4,the top and bottom plates 19 and 21, respectively, have an opening 34 inthe central portion thereof and the center plate 23 has an opening 28extending from an edge 30 of the plate into the central portion thereof.The center plate has a guide means 31 for guiding the tongue 20 into thecavity 14 of the housing 10.

The number of laminated plates employed can vary depending on the depthof the cavity and the type of material of the plates. Typically, theplates are diestamped from metal such as mild steel, aluminum, or thelike. Preferably the housing 10 is comprised of at least three platesand the opening in the top plate has a circular shape. Each of theplates 19, 21 and 23 are die-stamped using conventional equipment atvery low cost.

The housing is assembled by sandwiching bottom and top plates 19 and 21,respectively about center plate 23 and fastening the assembled platestogether by mechanical fastening means, such as rivets 36. The platescan, alternatively, be spot-welded or adhesively secured together usingsuitable epoxy resins or the like. Upon assembly of the plates to forman integral laminated housing unit, guide means 31 is fomied by spacedapart parallel walls 76 of which center plate 23 is comprised. The walls76 cooperate with the tip 54 of tongue 20 to eliminate rough entry ofthe tongue during its insertion into cavity 14.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, a latching means and cover areshown in relation to the housing 10. The latching means, shown generallyat 38, includes a biasing means 40, a latch bar 42 having a raisedportion 43 adapted to mate with opening 25 of tongue 20, and apushbutton 44. The latch bar 42 has a plurality of arms 27 adapted tomove within heat treated steel inserts 29. These components are disposedin the cavity 14 with at least portions thereof positioned in serialoverlapping relationship in the direction in which the cavity extendsinto the housing. Preferably, a cover, generally indicated at 46, isdisposed about the housing 10. The cover 46 comprising a plurality ofpieces 49 and 51 of light weight plastic or the like. Cover 46 does notadd appreciably to the strength or weight of the assembly but functionsprimarily to protect the components therein against contamination andaccidental damage due to tampering. The cover 46 has sufficient strengthand rigidity to withstand forces generated during depression of thepush-button 44, and

may, therefore, be used to support the biasing means I, interlock and/oralarm circuitry of the vehicle may also be associated with the housing10. The switch means 48 is preferably disposed in a second cavity 55 ofthe housing so that arm 50 is pushed against the force of a spring (notshown) and into contact with contact member 52 by the tip 54 of tongueupon insertion of the tongue 20 into the housing 10.

in operation, thetongue 20 is inserted into inlet means 18 and cavity14, bringing opening above raised portion 43 of latch bar 42. Thebiasing means 40 moves the raised portion 43 into. locking engagementwith opening 25 of tongue 20. The tip 54 of tongue 20 pushes arm 50 ofswitch means 48 into contact member 52, whereby an electrical signal istransmitted to circuitry for disabling the engine interlock and/or alarmmeans of the vehicle. To disengage the belt, pushbutton 44 is depressed.Shoulders 33 of the button force latch bar 42 downward until the raisedportion 43 is below the opening 25 of tongue 20.

Having thus described the invention in rather full detail,-it will beunderstood that these details need not be strictly adhered to but thatvarious changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilledin the art,

' all falling within the scope of the invention as defined I housingopposite said opening, inlet means communicating with said cavity forreceiving the tongue of a seat belt, connecting means for connecting thehousing to the seat belt, movable latching means for engaging saidtongue, and manually operable actuation means for actuatingsaid latchingmeans, saidv housing formed of at least three laminated plates incontact with one another and secured together, said laminated platesincluding a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate, said secondplate disposed between said first plate and said third plate, each ofsaid plates having an opening in the cen tral portion thereof, saidopenings in substantial alignment with one another, at least said secondplate having a slot therein extending from an edge of said second plateinto the central opening thereof for receiving said tongue, a portion ofsaid latching means extending in and movable within said openings of atleast said second plate and said third plate, a portion of saidactuating means extending in and movable within said opening of at leastsaid first plate, said second plate having guide means for guiding saidtongue into said housing, said guide means having spaced apart,approximately parallel walls.

2. A safety belt buckle as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing hasfastening means for fastening said plates together to form an integrallaminated housing unit.

3. A safety belt buckle as recited in claim 1, wherein the number oflaminated plates is at least three.

4. A safety belt buckle as recited in claim 1, wherein the opening insaid first plate has a circular shape.

5. A safety belt buckle as recited in claim 1 and further comprising aswitch means disposed in said housing and adapted to indicate when thetongue has been properly engaged in said housing.

6. A safety belt buckle according to claim 5 wherein said switch meanscomprises:

a movable contact arm;

a contact member; and

a biasing means, biasing said movable contact arm away from said contactmember;

said tongue upon insertion into said buckle housing being adapted tomove said contact arm into electrical contact withsaid contact member,thereby closing an electrical circuit.

7. A safety belt buckle according to claim 1 wherein said manuallyoperable actuation means is a push button extending into said opening ofsaid first plate and connected to said latch means, said push buttonbeing the sole mechanism for releasing said tongue from said bucklehousing.

i i i i I! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent3,919,508 Dated November 11, 1975 Dorn s Levasseur Inventor(s) 'L P ge 1Of 3 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patentand that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

The drawing figures should be canceled and.

substituted with the attached drawings therefore.

Signed and Scaled this [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner ofParentsand Trademarks Eighth Day of February 1977 Page 2 of 3 Patent No.

Patent No. 3,919,508 Page 3 of 3 FIG. 2' 44 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3,919 ,508 Dated November 11, 1975Dornis Levasseur n Inventor(s) P e 1 Of 3 It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

The drawing figures should be canceled and substituted with the attacheddrawings therefore.

Signed and Sealed this Eighth Day of February 1977 [SEAL] Arrest:

Page 2 of 3 Patent No. 3,919,508

1. A safety belt buckle having a housing therein, said housing having anopening therein and provided with a cavity extending from said openingto a wall of said housing opposite said opening, inlet meanscommunicating with said cavity for receiving the tongue of a seat belt,connecting means for connecting the housing to the seat belt, movablelatching means for engaging said tongue, and manually operable actuationmeans for actuating said latching means, said housing formed of at leastthree laminated plates in contact with one another and secured together,said laminated plates including a first plate, a second plate, and athird plate, said second plate disposed between said first plate andsaid third plate, each of said plates having an opening in the centralportion thereof, said openings in substantial alignment with oneanother, at least said second plate having a slot therein extending froman edge of said second plate into the central opening thereof forreceiving said tongue, a portion of said latching means extending in andmovable within said openings of at least said second plate and saidthird plate, a portion of said actuating means extending in and movablewithin said opening of at least said first plate, said second platehaving guide means for guiding said tongue into said housing, said guidemeans having spaced apart, approximately parallel walls.
 2. A safetybelt buckle as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing has fasteningmeans for fastening said plates together to form an integral laminatedhousing unit.
 3. A safety belt buckle as recited in claim 1, wherein thenumber of laminated plates is at least three.
 4. A safety belt buckle asrecited in claim 1, wherein the opening in said first plate has acircular shape.
 5. A safety belt buckle as recited in claim 1 andfurther comprising a switch means disposed in said housing and adaptedto indicate when the tongue has been properly engaged in said housing.6. A safety belt buckle according to claim 5 wherein said switch meanscomprises: a movable contact arm; a contact member; and a biasing means,biasing said movable contact arm away from said contact member; saidtongue upon insertion into said buckle housing being adapted to movesaid contact arm into electrical contact with said contact member,thereby closing an electrical circuit.
 7. A safety belt buckle accordingto claim 1 wherein said manually operable actuation means is a pushbutton extending into said opening of said first plate and connected tosaid latch means, said push button being the sole mechanism forreleasing said tongue from said buckle housing.